What chemistry of paint did the Germans use?

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Tommygunn
Posts: 28
Joined: Tue Feb 26, 2008 3:39 pm
Location: Italy

What chemistry of paint did the Germans use?

Post by Tommygunn »

I getting back to restoring my Lafette 42 and would rather use a paint chemistry that is as close to that used during the war.
So, what did the Germans use; cellulose, enamel or something else?

Cheers,
Tom.
pepperpot
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Joined: Sun Dec 19, 2010 8:20 am
Location: surrey

Re: What chemistry of paint did the Germans use?

Post by pepperpot »

bad move as far as value is concerned, you wont anything near the original value for it on re sale. if you want to test what paint is on it try the following
cellulose thinners on rag and wipe gently if the paint comes off and doesnt go to orange peal then the paint is cellulose. if it does go wrinkly then the paint is enamel
enamel thinners same applies, paint will come off onto rag, without wrinkle its enamel paint.
You can paint enamel over cellulose but not the other way round.
Mooyman
Posts: 605
Joined: Sat Feb 13, 2010 4:10 pm

Re: What chemistry of paint did the Germans use?

Post by Mooyman »

Tommygunn wrote:I getting back to restoring my Lafette 42 and would rather use a paint chemistry that is as close to that used during the war.
So, what did the Germans use; cellulose, enamel or something else?

Cheers,
Tom.
a fore-runner to our acrylic paint.
Image

The best repro is an original...
Tommygunn
Posts: 28
Joined: Tue Feb 26, 2008 3:39 pm
Location: Italy

Re: What chemistry of paint did the Germans use?

Post by Tommygunn »

Pepperpot,
The tripod is smothered in post war Austrian medium green. There is no way I would strip/repaint it if it were in original condition.
Unfortunately, my tripod is in Italy but from memory, when I was doing some preliminary cleaning with Nitro Cellulose, the paint, be that the Austrian or the remains of the original Grey and Red Oxide, only smeared and wiped off. I don't recall it crinkling.
Does Nitro Cellulose cause the same reaction as Cellulose thinners?

Mooyman,
Does that marry up at all with what you said?

Tom.
pepperpot
Posts: 916
Joined: Sun Dec 19, 2010 8:20 am
Location: surrey

Re: What chemistry of paint did the Germans use?

Post by pepperpot »

its most likely cellulose, sounds like it needs a rub down with fine wet and dry and start with red oxide, if you want to make the paint darker add matt black. when modeling with humbrol modeling oil (enamel) paints (there were only 35 variations when the company started) this is what we did.
I do know that paint in the tin drys a darker colour than the finish, with emulsion its at least 8 shades darker, try a dummy run with a paint brush until you get the colour you are after, existing paint finishes always go darker with time.
what ever the colour finish you want its almost impossible to create the original colour finish however hard you try. sorry
graham
Tommygunn
Posts: 28
Joined: Tue Feb 26, 2008 3:39 pm
Location: Italy

Re: What chemistry of paint did the Germans use?

Post by Tommygunn »

Is nitro cellulose interchangeable with cellulose thinners when it comes to thinning and spraying paint?

Tom.
pepperpot
Posts: 916
Joined: Sun Dec 19, 2010 8:20 am
Location: surrey

Re: What chemistry of paint did the Germans use?

Post by pepperpot »

to be honest i dont know. i can tell you that there are several grades of thinners, by mistake i bought low grade recycled, only good for cleaning crap. i bought it to thin down the adhesives we use in the plumbing/heating trade and all it did was to set the dam adhesive to a brick, normally if its left on the top it will 'melt' any cellulose adhesive.
for thinning paint i would use 'virgin' thinners.
these are available on ebay but make sure its not 're cycled' about £20.00 per 5 lts
pepperpot
Posts: 916
Joined: Sun Dec 19, 2010 8:20 am
Location: surrey

Re: What chemistry of paint did the Germans use?

Post by pepperpot »

from ebay
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Cellulose-Car ... ba0&_uhb=1
it has a ral number
graham
Tommygunn
Posts: 28
Joined: Tue Feb 26, 2008 3:39 pm
Location: Italy

Re: What chemistry of paint did the Germans use?

Post by Tommygunn »

Thanks for the link.

Tom.
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